Thread started by Graham at 10.7.08 - 4:51 pm

What are your experiences with these? Any suggestions?

I'm tired of a sweaty back but I hate having my pockets filled with junk.

www.fabrichorse.com has some cool stuff but the price is killing me, is it really worth it?

reply

FuzzBeast has the coolest hip bag/ utility belt I've seen thus far. I use a fannypack now, but I think I'm actually going to start sweaty-backing it.



imachynna
10.7.08 - 4:52 pm

reply

Go to an army surplus store. You can make something similar to those for less than half the price. That's where I got my hip pouch I use



onelessfixie
10.7.08 - 5:05 pm

reply

transient bags!
http://www.myspace.com/transientbags
handmade in north hollywood, by a ridaa, for a ridaa



ruinedbyidiots
10.7.08 - 5:15 pm

reply

I also use a surplus bag, but the belt i got is kinda thick and stuff and can get uncomfy at times - i recommend the smaller, webbing-style belts over the ones soldiers actually use for their canteen, etc. (don't they all use camelbacks these days?)




Lance K
10.7.08 - 5:18 pm

reply

transient bags look pretty good.

30$ is a great price.



Graham
10.7.08 - 5:21 pm

reply

I use a waist pack/fanny pack.
camera harnesses are modular, so you get exactly what you need



spiraldemon
10.7.08 - 5:27 pm

reply

the fabric horse belt in your photo at the start of the thread is a great bag, albeit pricey (150). I've used a few different ones, the under the weather ones are good too, and about as waterproof as possible with a velcro closure, and the price (40 for the bag on a regular belt, 60 with u-lock holster on belt) isnt horrible.



FuzzBeast
10.7.08 - 5:49 pm

reply

ooo i'm excited about the transient bag.. i added them as a friend



tomato
10.7.08 - 6:56 pm

reply

go to the army surplus store. there is no reason to buy a $150 (not including shipping) bag unless you want to have a little horse patch.



Aqueous Atom
10.7.08 - 10:57 pm

reply

I have that Fabric Horse thing. It rules. I've used it on century rides when I didn't want a hot sweaty bag on my back but wanted quick access to water (no water bottle cage on my track bike) and energy bars. You'd be surprised how much crap you can jam into it. I don't regret a penny of the 120 bones I spent for it.

Don't let anybody else's hangups keep you from buying one if you really want one. But if you don't really want one enough to spend that much money on it, then yes, you can get stuff at the surplus store that will do at least some of what the FH superhero belt will do.



PC
10.8.08 - 12:36 am

reply

Rack & pannier(s).

"Don't let anybody else's hangups keep you from buying one if you really want one." +1



hatehills
10.8.08 - 2:44 am

reply

Racks and panniers are good things too. But probably a tad bit overkill for the kinds of things people usually use utility belts / ass packs for.



PC
10.8.08 - 2:50 am

reply

"ass-packs"

You kill me pc.

For now, I'll switch between my hip-pack, my Trek bag, and my tactical vest, depending on my mood for the day.



bentstrider
10.8.08 - 5:01 am

reply

A rack and panniers are like pedaling about with a pickup truck. You never have to worry about being able to 'fit it all,' but when you fill up that luggage space it's easy to regret it, especially if you have no gears to help out.

A seatpost mounted rack (clamp style) with a small to modest, center perched bag is good for the necessary items, plus it doubles as a fender during the rainy months. Once I get around to ordering one, this will be my next cargo solution. (any recomendations?)



Eric Hair
10.8.08 - 10:18 am

reply

Not to mention those racks are mighty handy for carrying $5 pizza's!!!

Now if only I could find one of those thermal-bags.



bentstrider
10.8.08 - 10:35 am

reply

ben dangle,

i have a lil hip pouch i got ffrom the surplus store on van nuys across from the post office

its small but deep enough to carry some shit


1 mini pump
1 15mm wrench
2 tubes
1 patch kit
1 pack of smokes
1 set of house keys


and the best part,

its 3 bucks.

fuck shelling out 30 bucks and up for some lame ass chrome hip bone.



KiMS1
10.8.08 - 11:27 am

reply

Who is Ben Dangel? I don't know that person.

Kissing Is My Specialty. K.I.M.S.



Graham
10.8.08 - 11:47 am

reply

the hipbone is lame and costs more than $30.



ruinedbyidiots
10.8.08 - 11:50 am

reply

YOU'RE BEN DANGLE, GRAHAM.



KiMS1
10.8.08 - 11:51 am

reply

Get a freitag bike frame bag. If you've seen me ride, you've seen my bag on my bike. Spook's gf bought one also. made of truck tarps, innertubes, and selt belts. had mine over a year now and it's not worn out at all. will last forever. has a strap to wear around the back as well.

Click below, then "work and relax", then "Knight Rider"
CLICK HERE FOR FREITAG





barleye
10.8.08 - 12:00 pm

reply

still, nothing beats a messenger bag for beer capacity and accessibility. my rack and trunk bag come in a pretty close second.



spiraldemon
10.8.08 - 12:44 pm

reply

+1 on the Under the Weather hip bag.

Really functional and well-made by Canadian cyclists and worth the $60. I love how you can carry a pump with it. You can separate the bag from the belt and use just the holster, this is really useful when you don't want to weight down your panniers more and also to have a u-lock ready for trashing bozos.

I don't like putting racks or anything else on racing bikes, so this is all I use. I have bikes that have panniers and saddlebags when I want to really carry stuff.

The Fabric Horse ones are great but too pricey for me. You are supporting a cool company, though. I have one of their u-lock holsters.





cabhauler
10.8.08 - 1:38 pm

reply

Good call Barleye, I forgot about frame bags, they rock for the essentials...and more!!



Eric Hair
10.8.08 - 2:37 pm

reply

Not great cause your leg will hit stuff on the top of every pedal stroke. And are the pockets big enough to hold large bulky items? Bike jersey with three big back pockets-$20 at Performance bike. Camelbak clone at Costco-$20.



gundo
10.8.08 - 3:03 pm

reply

In my frietag frame bag i carry a pump, 2 tubes, bike tool, 15mm wrench, batteries, baseball cap, tire levers, nite rider battery pack and my legs have never hit the bag. it will fit the small u lock as well but i don't carry one often. it expands about 4-5 inches when using it around the back.



barleye
10.8.08 - 3:31 pm

reply

I like frame bags a lot too, but on my 'long rides' bike i've got 2 water bottle cages (and a smallish frame), so there's not really room for one...steph uses one all the time, however.

@EricHair - the only think i don't like about my seatpost mounted rack+trunkbag is that it sits quite a bit higher than a regular rack, and therefore fucks with the balance of your bike a lot more...at least on my relatively light and flexible steel roadbike, a decently loaded trunk bag means that out-of-the-saddle mashing is a lot scarier/requires much more care.



Lance K
10.8.08 - 4:14 pm

reply

@ Lance, yeah I forgot about that height you gain with the seatpost mount. Mashing with 1 or 2 panniers is a chunky feeling for sure....and splitting lanes with panniers is unnerving. "will I make it or am I gonna pick up a side mirror?"



Eric Hair
10.8.08 - 7:13 pm

reply

a decently loaded trunk bag means that out-of-the-saddle mashing is a lot scarier/requires much more care.

Lance K
10.8.08 - 7:14 pm

you lose power when rocking your bike during out-of-the-saddle mashing regardless of the luggage you're carrying. Riding with an 18 pack in my trunk bag has taught me to keep the bike vertical when standing on the pedals



spiraldemon
10.9.08 - 3:24 pm

reply